Barricade



Dec. 21, 1943. E. D. SAWYER 2 7 BARRICADE Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 21, 1943. E. D. sAwYER 2,337,277

- BARRICADE Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

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Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARRICADE Emerson D. Sawyer, Chicago, Ill. Application August 2, 1940,Serial No. 349,961

5 Claims.

. The invention relates to improvements in barricades and has for itsprimary object the provision of an improved barricade arrangementadapted and arranged to guard roads at bridge heads, canals, highembankments, railway crossings and the like, against the passage ofmilitary tanks, troop lorries, trucks and the like, for defensivepurposes in war time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a barricade of thecharacter indicated which may be also employed for stopping ordinarypeace time traffic to prevent accidents.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of the specification and in which Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a barricade embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a similar view showing the barricade folded for the purpose ofpreventing the passage of heavy military Vehicles equipped withcaterpillar tractors or the like;

Fig. 3 an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on lin 3-3 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 an enlarged section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;and

Fig. 5 a horizontal view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprisestwo vertical rectangular columns mounted as indicated on opposite sidesof a roadway and each consisting of a lower portion l and an upperportion ll hinged together at l2 to permit downward folding of the upperportion ll into the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. Splice platesl3 are permanently attached to the inner faces of the lower columnportions l0 and are detachably attached to the upper column portions I lby means of bolts or the like so as to permit of the downward folding ofthe upper portions of the columns as will be readily understood.

A flexible payout barrier net 14 which may be of any usual or desiredconstruction is arranged as indicated between the columns Hl and H, saidbarrier net being carried in the usual way by carriages arranged toreciprocate vertically in said columns and connected by cables l6 withcounterweights I1. Operating chains l8 are also connected with thecarriage l5 and the usual electric motors and whereby the carriages l5and the payout barrier l4 may be elevated a shallow and narrow slot 2|and lowered in said columns as and when desired as will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in this art. Vertical slots I9 are providedas shown in the inner faces of said columns so as to permit of thesevertical reciprocations of the barrier M. The arrangement of the barrierand its operat-. ing parts is fully illustrated and described in myprior Patents No. 1,687,147, October 9, 1928; No. 1,699,545, January 22,1929; No. 1,828,296, October 20, 1931, and No. 2,095,085, October 5,1937, and needs no further description here. s I 7 While the barrier l4may 'be' of any suitable or desired construction it is preferably madeconsiderably higher than the usual barrier of this character,approximately six feet high, and its lower edge 20 is extended asindicated slightly below the normal top surface of the roadway, beingprovided in the lower roadway to receive said lower edge. By thisarrangement the climbing of the barrier by caterpillar tractors isprevented and the passage of a prow or pointed implement under thebarrier to raise it is also prevented.

Rigid portals or barricade frames 22 are extended as shown between theupper portions of said columns with suflicient space between them topermit of the elevation of the barrier net [4 to the tops of slots I9and whereby the roadway may be readily cleared for the ready passage ofordinary traffic in peace time. The top cap of each column is providedwith bolt holes 23 adapted and arranged to register with correspondingbolt holes 24 in the base plates 25 and 26 at the bottoms of the columnswhen the upper column portions I l' are swung downwardly as indicated inFigs. 2 and 4, and may be stoutly secured in such positions by stoutbolts 21 so as to cause the portals 22 to constitute a stout and rigidbarricade against the passage of military vehicles of any description.As will be noted the upper portion l l of each column is arranged toswing downwardly into abutting relation with the lower portion so thatfurther swinging in this direction is positively prevented. Thus thebarricade may be arranged across a roadway with the upper portions ofthe columns arranged to swing downwardly toward the possible approach ofan enemy and whereby enemy advance from that direction may be positivelyinterfered with or prevented, whereas advance in the opposite directionby home forces would be facilitated. The counterweight cables andoperating chains, being flexible, will permit of this folding especiallywhen given a little slack. Notches 28 are provided in the upper cornersof the inner base plates 25 to tractors to facilitatethe climbing andpassing of the same thereover.

By this arrangement a barricade is provided which may be advantageouslyutilized in peace time as a flexible payout barrier and which may bereadily converted in war time into a stout and effective barricade toprevent or retard the passage of military vehicles. The specific formand arrangement is a simple and eiiectiveone for the purpose. I 7

While I have illustrated and described as the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying the invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsdisclosed but desire to avail myself of such variations andmodifications as fall within the "scope of the appended claims.

I claim: p

l. A barricade comprising two columns arranged at opposite sides of aroadway; a portal extending between the upper portions of said columns,said columns being medially hinged to bring said portal close to saidroadway to block passage thereover; a flexible payout barrier mounted onand in said columns to be elevated into a position adjacent said portalor lowered into cooperative relation with said roadway; and

'means for raising and lowering said barrier.

2. The barricade specified in claim 1 in which means are provided forstrongly securing said portal in both elevated and blocking positions.

3. The barricade specified in claim 1 in which the lowering means isarranged to lower the barrier until its lower edge is below the normalsurface of the roadway, there being a slot provided -in the roadway toreceive the lower edge of said barrier.

4. A barricade comprising two columns arranged at opposite sides of aroadway; and a portal extending between the upper portions of saidcolumns, said columns being medially hinged to bring said portal closeto said roadway to block passage thereover, and to bring the upperportions of said columns into abutting relation with lower portionsthereof.

5. The barricade specified in claim 4 in which a flexible payout barrieris mounted on and in said columns to be elevated into a positionadjacent said portal or lowered into cooperative relation with saidroadway; and means for raising and lowering said barrier are provided.

. EMERSON D. SAWYER.

